Tamper-evident box

Abstract

A box can include a box top including a first panel and a locking tab separably joined to the first panel, the locking tab comprising first and second tab subpanels; and a box bottom including a second panel defining a locking opening, a lateral width of the locking tab at an ear thereof being greater than—and at a neck thereof being less than—a lateral width of the locking opening, the locking opening sized to receive and capture the locking tab, the locking tab configured to engage an edge of the locking opening and thereby configured to prevent movement of the locking tab with respect to the locking opening in an opening direction of the locking tab; wherein engaged portions of the locking tab and the locking opening are hidden to an observer outside of the box when the box is in an assembled position.

That which is claimed is: 
     
       1. A blank comprising:
 a first main panel defining a top outer surface of a box; 
 a locking tab extending from and separable from the first main panel and comprising a first tab subpanel and a second tab subpanel; the first tab subpanel extending from the first main panel and the second tab subpanel extending from the first tab subpanel and joined to the first tab subpanel, the second tab subpanel comprising a neck and an ear, the ear extending from the neck in a lateral direction of the locking tab; 
 a second main panel connected to the first main panel and facing the first main panel; and 
 an end panel extending from the second main panel, the end panel defining a locking opening, a lateral width of the locking tab at the ear being greater than a lateral width of the locking opening, a lateral width of the locking tab at the neck being less than the lateral width of the locking opening, the locking opening sized to receive and lockably engage at least a portion of the locking tab upon assembly of the blank into the box; 
 wherein the locking tab and the locking opening are positioned on opposite ends of the blank, the locking tab and the locking opening being aligned with each other; 
 wherein engaged portions of the locking tab and the locking opening are configured to be hidden to an observer outside of the box upon assembly thereof; and 
 wherein the end panel comprises a second end panel, an inside end panel, and a connecting panel joining the inside end panel to the second end panel, an intersection between the connecting panel and each of the inside end panel and the second end panel defining a bend line. 
 
     
     
       2. The blank of  claim 1 , wherein the locking tab is joined to the first main panel with a perforated connection. 
     
     
       3. The blank of  claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the second tab subpanel of the locking tab is narrower than a maximum lateral width of the second tab subpanel. 
     
     
       4. The blank of  claim 1 , wherein an edge defined by a distal end of the second tab subpanel of the locking tab is parallel to the first bend line and defines a length. 
     
     
       5. The blank of  claim 1 , wherein the second tab subpanel of the locking tab defines a taper. 
     
     
       6. The blank of  claim 5 , wherein the taper of the second tab subpanel of the locking tab defines a taper angle. 
     
     
       7. The blank of  claim 1 , wherein the blank is formed integrally from a single piece of material. 
     
     
       8. The blank of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the second end panel, the inside end panel, and the connecting panel define the locking opening. 
     
     
       9. The blank of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first main panel and the second main panel defines a first end, a second end distal from the first end, a third end intersecting each of the first end and the second end, and a fourth end distal from the third end, the locking tab extending from the first end of the first main panel, a second end of the second main panel extending from the second end of the first main panel; the second end panel extending from the first end of the second main panel; each of the second end panel, the inside end panel, and the connecting panel defining the locking opening. 
     
     
       10. The blank of  claim 1 , wherein the blank is formed integrally from a single piece of material. 
     
     
       11. A box comprising:
 a box top comprising a first panel and a locking tab separably joined to the first panel, the locking tab comprising a first tab subpanel and a second tab subpanel; the first tab subpanel extending from the first panel and the second tab subpanel extending from the first tab subpanel, the second tab subpanel comprising a neck and an ear, the ear extending from the neck in a lateral direction of the locking tab; and 
 a box bottom comprising a second panel, the second panel defining a locking opening, a lateral width of the locking tab at the ear being greater than a lateral width of the locking opening, a lateral width of the locking tab at the neck being less than the lateral width of the locking opening, the locking opening sized to receive and capture the locking tab, the locking tab configured to engage an edge of the locking opening and thereby configured to prevent movement of the locking tab with respect to the locking opening in an opening direction of the locking tab; 
 wherein engaged portions of the locking tab and the locking opening are hidden to an observer outside of the box when the box is in an assembled position; and 
 wherein the second panel comprises a second end panel, a connecting panel, and an inside end panel; at least one of the second end panel, the inside end panel, and the connecting panel define the locking opening. 
 
     
     
       12. The box of  claim 11 , wherein the box top and the box bottom are formed from a single blank of material. 
     
     
       13. The box of  claim 11 , wherein the locking tab is angled with respect to a surrounding portion of the first panel of the box top in an assembled and closed position of the box. 
     
     
       14. The box of  claim 11 , wherein an end of the second tab subpanel of the locking tab is narrower than a maximum lateral width of the second tab subpanel. 
     
     
       15. The box of  claim 11 , wherein the box bottom defines each of an opening and a gap, each of the opening and the gap sized to receive the locking tab. 
     
     
       16. The box of  claim 11 , wherein the locking opening is defined in a second portion of the second panel angled with respect to a first portion of the second panel of the box bottom. 
     
     
       17. The box of  claim 11 , wherein the locking tab is aligned with a central axis of the box. 
     
     
       18. The box of  claim 11 , wherein the locking tab is joined to the first panel with a perforated connection. 
     
     
       19. The box of  claim 11 , wherein the second tab subpanel of the locking tab is angled with respect to the first panel of the box in an assembled and closed position of the box. 
     
     
       20. A blank comprising:
 a first main panel defining a top outer surface of a box; 
 a locking tab extending from and separable from the first main panel and comprising a first tab subpanel and a second tab subpanel; the first tab subpanel extending from the first main panel and the second tab subpanel extending from the first tab subpanel and joined to the first tab subpanel at a first bend line, the second tab subpanel comprising a neck and an ear, the ear extending from the neck in a lateral direction of the locking tab; 
 wherein an edge defined by a distal end of the second tab subpanel of the locking tab is parallel to the first bend line and defines a length; 
 a second main panel connected to the first main panel and facing the first main panel; and 
 an end panel extending from the second main panel, the end panel defining a locking opening, a lateral width of the locking tab at the ear being greater than a lateral width of the locking opening, a lateral width of the locking tab at the neck being less than the lateral width of the locking opening, the locking opening sized to receive and lockably engage at least a portion of the locking tab upon assembly of the blank into the box; 
 wherein the locking tab and the locking opening are positioned on opposite ends of the blank, a central axis of each of the locking tab and the locking opening being aligned with each other; and 
 wherein engaged portions of the locking tab and the locking opening are configured to be hidden to an observer outside of the box upon assembly thereof. 
 
     
     
       21. The blank of  claim 20 , wherein the locking tab is joined to the first main panel with a perforated connection. 
     
     
       22. The blank of  claim 21 , wherein the perforated connection defines a plurality of segments, at least one segment of the perforated connection extending in a direction angled with respect to at least one other segment of the perforated connection. 
     
     
       23. A blank comprising:
 a first main panel defining a top outer surface of a box; 
 a locking tab extending from and separable from the first main panel and joined to the first main panel with a perforated connection defining a plurality of segments, at least one segment of the perforated connection extending in a direction angled with respect to at least one other segment of the perforated connection, the locking tab comprising a first tab subpanel and a second tab subpanel; the first tab subpanel extending from the first main panel and the second tab subpanel extending from the first tab subpanel and joined to the first tab subpanel, the second tab subpanel comprising a neck and an ear, the ear extending from the neck in a lateral direction of the locking tab; 
 a second main panel connected to the first main panel and facing the first main panel; and 
 an end panel extending from the second main panel, the end panel defining a locking opening, a lateral width of the locking tab at the ear being greater than a lateral width of the locking opening, a lateral width of the locking tab at the neck being less than the lateral width of the locking opening, the locking opening sized to receive and lockably engage at least a portion of the locking tab upon assembly of the blank into the box; 
 wherein the locking tab and the locking opening are positioned on opposite ends of the blank, the locking tab and the locking opening being aligned with each other; and 
 wherein engaged portions of the locking tab and the locking opening are configured to be hidden to an observer outside of the box upon assembly thereof. 
 
     
     
       24. The blank of  claim 23 , wherein the perforated connection comprises at least one curved segment and at least one straight segment.